Pack-sack



T. CLEMETSON.

Patented Nov. 15, 192.1.

III I :IuIIIIIII IIIIIPIIIIII IIIA-AIM.

gnou/Moz NETE@ STATES PATENT TOBIAS GLEMETSON, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

PACK-SACK.

Application filed March 12, 1920.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, Tomas CLnMnTsoN, a citizen of the United States 0f America, and a resident of Duluth, county of St. Louis, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pack- Sacks, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

rlhe object of this invention is to provide a simple and durable pack-sack of the knapsack type, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing- Figure l is a perspective view looking at the side of the sack which bears against the back of the wearer;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, with the shoulder-straps shown conventionally eX- tended to better illustrate the strap arrangement.

In the drawing, 0. designates the body of the sack, which consists, as usual, of a cas ing having its top closed by meansr of flap 5 which folds downwardly upon the back-wall of the sack. rlhe sack is provided with two shoulder-straps which are affixed to the front-wall near the top thereof by means of an anchoring or reinforcing-strap c which is sewed to the front-wall of the sack in such manner as to envelop the ends of the shoulder-straps. These shoulder-straps eX- tend upwardly from the point of anchorage and forwardly, and thence downwardly to form the shoulder-loops d through which the arms are inserted when the sack is put on. When the sack is thus put on, the shoulderloops extend forwardly across the shoulders and downwardly upon the chest of the wearer, the downwardly-extending portions of the shoulder-straps being sewed to the lower portion of the sack. These shoulderstraps preferably extend downwardly on the front-wall of the sack, thence underneath the same, and thence upwardly upon the rearwall, the straps being stitched or sewed to the front, bottom and rear walls, to thus form a substantial support for the load and prevent the load distorting the sack.

The ends of the shoulder-straps are provided each with a buckle e, and extending from each of these buckles upwardly in contact with the depending part of the flap l) and forwardly across the top of the sack is a load-sustaining and load-shifting strap f, the forward free end of which rests upon and is fastened to the shoulder-loops cZ, the

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. f5, M3121.

Serial No. 365,174.

depending end being provided with a loop g. The rear depending end of each shoulderstrap is of course detachably and adjustably connected te its buckle, and l provide also for adjustably fastening the front-end of the strap ,t to its shoulder-loop d, a series of eyelets 7L being provided in the strap f and a, locking turn-button i being provided on the shoulder-strap d so that the effective length 0f the load-sustaining strap 7 may be varied from time to time. It will be observed that these load-sustaining straps divide the work of supporting the load with the shoulder-straps Z and also that they hold the mouth of the pack closed. The idea in having the straps adjustably connected to the shoulder-loops is to enable the wearer `of the pack to shift the position of the load from time to time, to thereby reduce to a minimum the fatigue from toting the load. By shortening or lengthening the eiective length of the straps f, the strain of the load will be brought higher or lower upon the back of the wearer, it being obvious that by shortening the effective length ofthe straps the tendency will be to lift the load so that the pressure thereof on the back of the wearer will be raised, thus bringing the strain upon different muscles or dierent parts of the same muscles and thus enable the muscles previously in use to recuperate. lly thus changing the center of gravity of the load and the point of pressure on the back from time to time, the pack may be toted with much less fatigue than the same load could be carried in an ordinary pack which is so constructed that the pressure and strain of the load remain constant at one point of the back.

ln considering this matter of shifting the center of gravity and the point of pressure of the load on the wearer, it will be understood that the sack is made of flexible material and is rarely if ever packed so completely and solidly as to maintain it in a rectangular shape, shown conventionally in Fig. 2, but on the contrary is usually so loosely packed that it can be partially rolled or distorted in shape by pulling up on the load-changing-straps. Actual experience with this pack-sack has demonstrated that, as compared with the ordinary pack-sack, a load can be carried with much less fatigue by reason of the capacity to from time to time shift the position of the load as it bears upon the back of the wearer.

rlhe depending loops g are for the purpose of assisting in lifting the pack while it is on the wearer, it being simply necessary to insert the hand in the loop and, after detaching the turn-button z', pull down on the strap until the desired eyelet comes in register with the turn-button i, whereupon the strap will be locked in its newly adjusted position.

For conveniently carrying the sack in the manner of a. suitcase or satchel, I connect the load-lifting straps 7 by means of a barlike handle j, the handle being connected to the strap by loops 7c which are adapted to slide on the straps to thus permit the handle to be adjusted to a point immediately over the center of the sack, irrespective of the adjustment of the load-straps.

I prefer making the sack as well as all of the straps out of a fabric, such as duck, canvas, etc, so that the sack may be readily Washed as a whole, to thus keep it in a sanitary condition. In view of the fact that these sacks are frequently used for carrying food articles, this ability to give the sack a tub-wash is a very important advantage. Of course, in washing the sack, the load-straps f may be removed if it is desired to do so.

The use of a textile fabric, thereby doing away with all leather in the appliance, greatly reduces its cost of manufacture, as is obvious. It will be observed also that the idea of adjustably buckling the ends of the load-straps at the back is an advantage, in

nsemei that it enables me to extend the straps to the limit and thus permit the sack to be filled to capacity; and it will be observed further that these load-straps avoid the necessity for using special straps or fastenings for the cover.

The nature and scope of the invention having been thus indicated and the preferred embodiment having been specifically described, what is claimed as new is:

A pack-sack consisting of a flexibleA receptacle having a closure flap at its upper end adapted to fold down on the rea-r side of the receptacle, a pair of shoulder-straps fastened to the front side of the receptacle and eX- tending down the front side and around the under side and up the rear side of the receptacle, to which side the shoulder-straps are fastened, each of the upwardly-extending ends of the straps being provided with a buckle, and a pair of load-sustaining and load-shifting. straps adjustably connected to said buckles and extending upwardly and forwardly over the top of the receptacle, and means for adjustably attaching these straps to the front sides of the shoulderstraps, for the purpose set forth.

' ln testimonywhereof I hereunto affix my signature.

TOBIAS CLEMETSON.

l/Vitnesses: Y HARRY W. LANNnRs, HERBERT F. SoHonNING. 

